Advocacy - someone to speak up for you

Sometimes you may feel you are not being listened to by health and social care workers. You may feel unable to communicate or express yourself in order to get your own view point across.

An advocate is someone who will support you to make sure that your views and rights are respected, that you are treated fairly, your concerns are taken into account and you have real control over the big decisions in your life. They can help you speak up at meetings, deal with difficult issues and help understand important decisions that are being made. They are professionally trained, fair and impartial, and the service is completely confidential and independent of the local authority.

Some advocacy services you can get for yourself, without any help from us, by contacting our local advocacy providers direct. Other advocacy will only be given to you if we agree that you are eligible for it.

If you're unsure about your right to have an advocate, speak to your case worker or one of our local advocacy providers.